Arrow-shaped frame with adjustable foot and golf-ball position indicators



Jan. 19, 1965 R. s. CHAMPION 3,166,327

ARROW-SHAPED FRAME WITH ADJUSTABLE FOOT AND GOLF-BALL POSITION INDICATORS Filed Oct. 16. 1961 ffzz'lez fon United States Patent 3,166,327 ARROW SHAPED FRAME WITH ADJUSTABLE FOOT AND GOLF-BALL POSITION INDICATORS Robert S. (Shampion, 873 Washington St, Eimhurst, Ill. Filed Oct. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 148,008 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-187) The invention relates generally to instructional devices and more particularly to a golf instructional device for properly positioning the player with respect to his golf stance and the ball.

The invention is directed to a device which may be placed upon the ground, properly oriented withrespect to the desired direction of flight of the golf ball and by means of which the player may be positioning himself with respect to the proper stance relative to the golf ball.

The invention has among its objects the production of an instructional device which is extremely simple in construction, completely portable and compact enough to be.

carried in or on a golf bag, whereby it can be used on a golf course as well as in practice.

Another object of the invention is the production of such a device which may be readily set to the individual players requirements and which may bev utilized for either left or right handed players.

A further object of the invention is the'production of such a device which, in one very. simple unit, may provide a guide to the player for substantially all of the mechanical operations involved in hitting a shot insofar as the same may be capable of incorporation in a supplementary instructional aid. Thus, the device may be designed to incorporate a guide for the individuals feet, for the position of the ball with respect to the golfers stance, may be employed for each of the various clubs and shots, as well as providing a means for accurate alignment of the players stance and ball with respect to the desired direction of flight, the proper selection of a club dependent upon the distance involved, and imparting to the golfer a visual indication of the nature of his swing.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an instructional device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and a a FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the parts in folded position.

The invention contemplates the utilization of a base structure, preferably in the form of an open frame which is designed to be placed on the ground and oriented in the direction desired in the flight of the ball, the latter being placed inside the frame. Carried by the structure is suitable indicia means enabling the user to properly position his feet with respect to the ball and also provide a guide 3,166,327 Patented Jan. 19, 1985 to the users swing preceding and following impact. Thus, the device may be carried in or on the bag and may be employed with each golf shot on the course or may be employed on driving ranges or during practice sessions.

The device is preferably so designed that it may be readily adjusted to the users individual requirements and may be employed for either right or left handed golfers.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates generally a base structure, illustrated in the present embodiment, in the form of a frame-like structure having a pair of parallel, longitudinally extending side members 2 connected at their forward ends by a V-shaped head portion 3 and at their rear ends by a tail portion 4, thereby having a general arrow-like configuration. The frame 1 may be made from any suitable material, as for example, and preferably, a suitable plastic which will have sufficient rigidity to insure the frame structure maintaining the desired shape, but having suflicient flexibility to permit distortion thereof without danger of breakage or the like. While the base structure may be fabricated as a single piece, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the base structure may be longitudinally divided into two sections and connected by respective hinge structures 5 and 6 located respectively at the front and rear ends of the device. Thus, the device may be readily folded up to approximately half its width. Normally the device will have a length of slightly over four feet and an overall width of approximately sixteen inches. Thus, upon folding longitudinally the overall width would be approximately half that and if made of a flexible material it could be folded back upon itself longitudinally.

Disposed on the lower longitudinal member 2, as viewed in FIG. 1, are a plurality of markers or tabs 7L, 7R, W and 12, I3, 14, 15, I5, I7, 1g,' and I9 Which form indicia means for indicating both the proper position of the feet of the user and the location of the ball for the particular club to be employed.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, which discloses the construction of the respective markers, each marker comprises a generally flat horizontally extending portion or face 7 having downwardly depending leg portions 8 disposed in spaced parallel relation and terminating at their free ends in respective inwardly directed flange portions 9 adapted to underlie the bottom face of the member 2 of the base structure. The legs 8 and flanges 9 are so proportioned that they will firmly grip the associated longitudinal member 2 so that when positioned on the latter they will not be inadvertently moved out of their set position, but have sufficient flexibility that adjustment may be made when desired by applying firm pressure to the marker whereby the same may be slid along the member 2. Normally the markers will be so constructed that the leg portions 8 have sufiicient flexibility to permit their being sprung downwardly upon the member 2 to the position illustrated in FIG. 2.

To employ the device, the user by means of professional instruction or otherwise is positioned with his feet disposed in the proper stance and tabs 7L and 7R are adjusted to indicate the span between the toe of eachfoot F illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 1, following which the remaining markers are suitably adjusted to the individual, this preferably also being done by a professional. After proper adjustment of the device, the player may place the latter on the ground and tee up his ball B indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1, centered between the longitudinal members 2 and aligned transversely with the marker corresponding to the club which is to be employed in the particular shot. Thus, in the particular example of FIG. 1, the ball B is illustrated as being positioned for an iron shot with a number iron as indicated by the marker I If the shot called for was a wood shot, the ball would be set opposite the marker W. Thus, in the case of tee shots or practice shots, the device may be placed upon the ground, the ball properly positioned for the club involved and the player then takes his stance with his feet opposite the foot markers 7L and 7R. If the shot is to be played off of the fairway, the player aligns the device whereby the longitudinal axis thereof coincides with the direction of flight desired, with the ball centered between the longitudinal members 2 following which the stance is again taken in accordance with the positions of the foot markers 7L and TR.

It will be noted that in the case of the construction illustrated, the hinges 5 and 6 project slightly above the rim portions of the portion 4 and the head portion 3 thereby forming sighting means whereby the player may accurately align the axis of the base structure 1 with the flag or other object which represents or indicates the desired direction of flight of the ball. It will be apparent that while I have illustrated the device as preferably being hinged longitudinally, if desired the entire base structure could be molded as a single integral structure, whereby no hinge portions would be required, in which case, if desired, an upwardly extending projection or sight could be formed at opposite ends of the base structure serving the same sighting function as the portions of the hinges 5 and 6 just described.

It will be apparent from the above description that the device performs substantially all orientation functions with respect to the player, his stance and relationship to the ball and, if desired, the proper club to employ. Thus, the markers 7L and 7R when once adjusted to the individual users stance enables him to readily take the proper stance merely by lining his or her feet with the corresponding guide markers. Likewise, when so adjusted, the device will teach the proper position from which the ball should be hit in relation to the golfers stance and automatically adjusts the same in accordance with the particular club to be used. As the golfers stance will be properly oriented with respect to the desired line of flight of the ball, and as the longitudinal members 2 extending in parallel relation within the same direction as the desired line of flight, improved direction should result and a well developed or grooved swing may ultimately be obtained.

The invention also may be employed in connection with the playing of a round of golf and provides a criteria by means of which the player may determine the proper club to use for any particular shot. Thus, after estimating the distance required, the user may refer to the markers I, each of which is preferably marked with the approximate yardage range of the club involved providing balllocating indicia means including means for indicating the approximate distance range for the respective clubs involved so that upon determination or estimation of the yardage, and selection of the corresponding club, the device is properly oriented with respect to the ball and the line of flight, the proper stance taken by the user, and the shot then made.

While the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 with respect to the right handed player obviously the markers may be moved to the opposite longitudinal member 2 and placed in reverse order whereby they will be properly positioned for a left handed player.

It will be appreciated from the above description that the invention enables the user to properly orient his stance with the ball and the line of flight desired in accordance with the particular club selected and thus eliminate these considerations, enabling the player to concentrate on obtaining a smooth proper swing.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A golf instructional device comprising a base structure including a frame-like structure including a pair of symmetrically arranged longitudinally extending parallel spaced side members, said parallel spaced side members extending parallel to the direction of flight and within which the golf ball is to be placed, symmetrical angularly arranged members aflixed to the respective side members at the front ends thereof providing a V-shaped head portion, symmetrical tail portions affixed to the rear ends of said side members and affixed together permitting the frame-like structure to form a general arrow-like indicating means for aligning the arrow-like indicating means in the direction desired in the flight of a golf ball, foot-positioning indicia means operatively carried by one of said longitudinally extending spaced side members of said base structure and slidably movable relative to the base structure for indicating the desired stance position of each foot of the user, ball-locating indicia means similarly formed and oppositely positioned to said foot-positioning indicia means and operatively carried by the aforesaid longitudinally extending side member of said base structure for simultaneously individually indicating the desired position of a golf ball for the indicated stance position of each of a plurality of different golf clubs, said last-mentioned balllocating indicia means reversed in direction to the footpositioning indicia means for locating the golf ball between the symmetrically arranged longitudinally extending spaced side members along the longitudinal axis of the base'structure, and sighting means provided contiguous to the leading and trailing ends of said base structure by said symmetrical angularly arranged members and said tail portions of said frame-like structure.

2. A golf instructional device comprising a base structure including a frame-like structure including a pair of symmetrically arranged longitudinally extending parallel spaced side members, said parallel spaced side members extending parallel to the direction of flight and between which the golf ball is to be placed, symmetrical angularly arranged members hingedly mounted together at the center-line of said spaced side members and aflixed to each other and to the respective side members of the front ends thereof providing a V-shaped head portion, symmetrical tail portions afiixed to the rear ends of said side members and hingedly mounted together permitting the frame-like structure to be folded over with the spaced side members, angularly arranged members and the tail portions to be folded together and when the frame-like structure is in its tmfolded position the frame-like structure forms a general arrow-like indicating means for aligning the arrow-like indicating means in the direction desired in the flight of a golf ball, foot-positioning indicia means operatively carried by one of said longitudinally extending spaced side members of said base structure and slidably movable relative to the base structure for indicating the desired stance position of each foot of the user, balllocating indicia means similarly formed and oppositely positioned to said foot-positioning indicia means and operatively carried by the aforesaid longitudinally extending side member of said base structure for simultaneously individually indicating the desired position of a golf ball for the indicated stance position of each of a plurality of different golf clubs, said last-mentioned ball-locating indicia means reversed in direction to the foot-positioning indicia means for locating the golf ball between the symr metrically arranged longitudinally extending spaced side members along the longitudinal axis of the base structure, and sighting means provided contiguous to the leading and trailing ends of said base structure by said symmetrical angularly arranged members and said tail portions of said frame-like structure.

3. As an article of manufacture, a golf instructional device comprising a base structure including a frame-like structure including a longitudinally extending side memher, said side member extending parallel to the direction of flight andalong which and; spaced from the longitudinally extending side member a golf ball is to be placed, an angularly arranged member afiixed to the side member at the front end thereof providing an angular-shaped head portion, a tail portion afiixed to the rear end of said side member to form a general arrow-like indicating means for aligning the arrow-like indicating means in the direction desired in the flight of a golf ball, foot-positioning indicia means operatively carried by said longitudinally extending side member and slidably movable relative to the side member for indicating the desired stance position of each foot of the user, ball-locating indicia means similarly formed and oppositely positioned to said foot-positioning indicia means and operatively carried by the aforesaid side member of said base structure for simultaneously individually indicating the desired position of a golf ball for the indicated stance position of each of a plurality of diflerent golf clubs, said last-mentioned ball-locating indicia means reversed in direction to the foot-positioning indicia means for locating the golf ball parallel to the side member along the longitudinal axis of the base structure, and sighting means provided contiguous to the leading and trailing ends of said base structure by aligned ends of said angularly arranged member and said tail portion of said frame-like structure, and said aligned ends of the angularly arranged member and said tail portion being in the line of flight of a ball placed intermediate thereof and spaced from the side member in said line of flight.

4. A golf instructional device comprising a base structure including a frame-like structure including a pair of symmetrically arranged longitudinally extending parallel spaced side members, said parallel spaced side members extending parallel to the direction of flight and between which a golf ball is to be placed, symmetrical angularly arranged members affixed to each other and to the respective side members at the front ends thereof providing a V-shaped head portion, symmetrical tail portions affixed to the rear ends of said side members and affixed together permitting the frame-like structure to form a general arrow-like indicating means for aligning the arrowlike indicating means in the direction desired in the flight of a golf ball, foot-positioning indicia means operatively carried by one of said longitudinally extending spaced side members of said base structure and slidably movable relative to the side member for indicating the desired stance position of each foot of the user, ball-locating indicia means similarly formed and oppositely positioned to said foot-positioning indicia means and operatively carried by the aforesaid longitudinally extending side member of said base structure for simultaneously individually indicating the desired position of a golf ball for the indicated stance position of each of a plurality of different golf clubs, said last-mentioned ball-locating indicia means reversed in direction to the foot-positioning indicia means for locating the golf ball between the symmetrically arranged longitudinally extending spaced side members along the longitudinal axis of the base structure, said ball-locating indicia means comprising a plurality of indicia elements, each indicia element including means thereon complementally formed to one of said parallel spaced side members for adjustably retaining each of said indicating elements on said side member to indicate the desired position of such a ball for each respective club, and sighting means provided contiguous to the leading and trailing ends of said base structure by said symmetrical angularly arranged members and said tail portions of said frame-like structure.

5. A golf instructional device comprising a base structure including a frame-like structure including a pair of symmetrically arranged longitudinally extending parallel spaced side members, said parallel spaced side members extending parallel to the direction of flight and between which a golf ball is to be placed, symmetrical angularly arranged members affixed to each other and to the respective side members at the front ends thereof providing a V-shaped head portion, symmetrical tail portions afiixed to the rear ends of said side members and affixed together permitting the frame-like structure to form a general arrow-like indicating means for aligning the arrow-like indicating means in the direction desired in the flight of a golf ball, foot-positioning indicia means operatively carried by one of said longitudinally extending spaced side members of said base structure and slidably movable relative to the side member for indicating the desired stance position of each foot of the user, ball-locating indicia means similarly formed and oppositely positioned to said foot-positioning indicia means and operatively carried by the aforesaid longitudinally extending side member of said base structure for simultaneously individually indicating the desired position of a golf ball for the indicated stance position of each of a plurality of different golf clubs, said last-mentioned ball-locating indicia means reversed in direction to the foot-positioning indicia means for locating the golf ball between the symmetrically arranged longitudinally extending spaced side members along the longitudinal axis of the base structure, said ball-locating indicia means comprising a plurality of indicia elements, each indicia element including means thereon complementally formed .to one of said parallel spaced side members for adjustably retaining each of said indicia elements on said side member to indicate the desired position of such a ball for each respective club, said ball-locating indicia means including means for indicating the approximate distance range for the respective clubs involved, and sighting means provided contiguous to the leading and trailing ends of said base structure by said symmetrical angularly arranged members and said tail portions of said frame-like structure.

6. A golf instructional device comprising a base structure including a frame-like structure including a pair of symmetrically arranged longitudinally extending parallel spaced side members, said parallel spaced side members extending parallel to the direction of flight and between which a golf ball is to be placed, symmetrical angularly arranged members aflixed to each other and to the respective side members at the front ends thereof providing a V-shaped head portion, symmetrical tail portions aifixed to the rear ends of said side members and affixed together permitting the frame-like structure to form a general arrow-like indicating means for aligning the arrow-like indicating means in the direction desired in the flight of a golf ball, foot-positioning indicia means operatively carried by one of said longitudinally extending spaced side members of said base structure and slidably movable relative to the side member for indicating the desired stance position of each foot of the user, balllocating indicia means similarly formed and oppositely positioned to said foot-positioning indicia means and operatively carried by the aforesaid longitudinally extending side member of said base structure for simultaneously individually indicating the desired position of a golf ball for the indicated stance position of each of a plurality of diiferent golf clubs, said last-mentioned ball-locating indicia means reversed in direction to the foot-positioning indicia means for locating the golf ball between the symmetrically arranged longitudinally extending spaced side members along the longitudinal axis of the base structure, said ball-locating indicia means comprising a plurality of indicia elements, each indicia element including means thereon complementally formed to one of said parallel spaced side members for adjustably retaining said indicia elements on said side member to indicate the desired position of such a ball for each respective club, said balllQcating indicia means including means for indicating the aneasav and sighting means provided contiguous to the leading 0 $076,272

and trailing ends of said base structure by said symmetrical angular'ly arranged members and said tail portions of said frame-like structure.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Crowley Aug. 15, 1939 Paulsen Feb. 6, 1940 Crossot Jan. 15, 1957 Olds May 12, 1959 Smith et a1 June 21, 1960 Taylor June 26, 1962 Schott Feb. 5, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1911 

3. AS AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, A GOLF INSTRUCTIONAL DEVICE COMPRISING A BASE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FRAME-LIKE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE MEMBER, SAID SIDE MEMBER EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT AND ALONG WHICH AND SPACED FROM THE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE MEMBER A GOLF BALL IS TO BE PLACED, AN ANGULARLY ARRANGED MEMBER AFFIXED TO THE SIDE MEMBER AT THE FRONT END THEREOF PROVIDING AN ANGULAR-SHAPED HEAD PORTION, A TAIL PORTION AFFIXED TO THE REAR END OF SAID SIDE MEMBER TO FORM A GENERAL ARROW-LIKE INDICATING MEANS FOR ALIGNING THE ARROW-LIKE INDICATING MEANS IN THE DIRECTION DESIRED IN THE FLIGHT OF A GOLF BALL, FOOT-POSITIONING INDICIA MANS OPERATIVELY CARRIED BY SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE MEMBER AND SLIDABLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE SIDE MEMBER FOR INDICATING THE DESIRED STANCE POSITION OF EACH FOOT OF THE USER, BALL-LOCATING INDICIA MEANS SIMILARLY FORMED AND OPPOSITELY POSITIONED TO SAID FOOT-POSITIONING INDICIA MEANS AND OPERATIVELY CARRIED BY THE AFORESAID SIDE MEMBER OF SAID BASE STRUCTURE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY INDIVIDUALLY INDICATING THE DESIRED POSITION OF A GOLF BALL FOR THE INDICATED STANCE POSITION OF EACH OF A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT GOLF CLUBS, SAID LAST-MENTIONED BALL-LOCATING INDICIA MEANS REVERSED IN DIRECTION TO THE FOOT-POSITIONING INDICIA MEANS FOR LOCATING THE GOLF BALL PARALLEL TO THE SIDE MEMBER ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE BASE STRUCTURE, AND SIGHTING MEANS PROVIDED CONTIGUOUS TO THE LEADING AND TRAILING ENDS OF SAID BASE STRUCTURE BY ALIGNED ENDS OF SAID ANGULARLY ARRANGED MEMBER AND SAID TAIL PORTION OF SAID FRAME-LIKE STRUCTURE, AND SAID ALIGNED ENDS OF THE ANGULARLY ARRANGED MEMBER AND SAID TAIL PORTION BEING IN THE LINE OF FLIGHT OF A BALL PLACED INTERMEDIATE THEREOF AND SPACED FROM THE SIDE MEMBER IN SAID LINE OF FLIGHT. 